Visiting the Pearl of the Orient - Sri Lanka
Namaste Lanka! These words still echoes from the series. Once place was decided, I had sorted out all my plans with the help of Hiruni from A4Tours, Colombo. I should thank her for all her inputs and suggestions in helping me make my decisions. I had Kandy, Sigiriya, Galle, Hikkaduwa, Yala, Dambulla, Trincomalee and Nuwara Eliya to decide from. I never considered going North of Sri Lanka (Jaffna) due to two reasons. One, it would require time. Two, there isn't much to do / see around there. A brief description of each of these places. Kandy is a nice city nestled in the middle of Sri Lanka. Sigiriya has a monolith which used to be a city. Hikkaduwa is the Goa of Sri Lanka. Yala is the forest area down south. Dambulla is one of the cities with a famous temple. Trincomalee has calm and clean beaches, the perfect place to unwind. Nuwara Eliya is a hill station with plantations.
Visa : At the time of writing, you need to apply for ETA and you will get the approval mail almost instantly.
Day 1: Chilaw -
Our adventure began in the serene town of Chilaw. Our first stop was the Munneswaram Temple, It has been in existence at least since 1000 CE although myths surrounding the temple associate it with the popular Indian epic Ramayana. The temple is one of the ancient Pancha Ishwarams dedicated to Shiva in the region. Next, we visited the Manavari Hindu Temple, and is one of the important temples dedicated to Lord Rama.
Day 2: Trincomalee -
We set off early to Trincomalee, a city known for its pristine beaches and historic sites. We first visited Kanniya Hot Water Springs. Trincomalee is home to some natural hot springs, including Kanniya Hot Springs, Welgam Vehera Hot Springs, and Vellai Oya Hot Springs. These hot springs are believed to havemedicinal properties and are a popular spot for locals and tourists alike. Our next visit was to the Koneswaram Temple, perched on a cliff with stunning views of the ocean. The nearby Lovers Leap viewpoint offered a breathtaking panorama. We then explored Fort Frederick, a colonial-era fort with fascinating history. The day ended at Nilaveli Beach, where our leisure stroll was cut short by sudden heavy downpour.
Day 3: Sigiriya -
We headed inland to Sigiriya, home to the iconic Sigiriya Rock Fortress. Climbing the ancient rock was an exhilarating experience. The fortress at the summit offered panoramic views of the surrounding jungle and ruins, making the climb well worth it. We ascended in 45 minutes straight and its advisable to start the trek early in the day as climbing in scorching sun will offer unpleasant experience.
Day 4: Kandy -
Leaving Sigiriya, we traveled to Kandy, stopping en route at the Dambulla Cave Temple. The temple's impressive collection of Buddha statues and intricate cave paintings was awe-inspiring. We also visited the Matale Muthumari Aman Temple on the way to Kandy. In the evening, we visited the Temple of the Tooth Relic, one of the most sacred sites for Buddhists. The temple's serene atmosphere and the beautiful golden shrine were a highlight of our trip.
Day 5: Kandy to Nuwara Eliya -
Our journey continued to the hill country of Nuwara Eliya. Before leaving Kandy, we visited the Peradeniya Botanical Garden, a vast garden with an incredible variety of plants and flowers. We also explored Kandy city, taking in the Upper Lake Drive/ En route to Nuwara Eliya, we stopped at the Ramboda Hanuman Temple, a beautiful temple set amidst lush greenery maintained by the Chinmaya mission. They have an in-house restaurant serving Indian Food.
Day 6: Nuwara Eliya - The Little England of Sri Lanka
Nuwara Eliya, with its cool climate and charming colonial architecture, was a refreshing change. We visited the Seetha Amman Temple and the nearby Asoka Vatika, both significant sites in the Ramayana.
Day 7: Nuwara Eliya to Colombo -
Arriving in Colombo, we embarked on a city tour, exploring its rich cultural and religious heritage. We visited the Gangaramaya Temple and Seema Malakaya, both known for their stunning architecture and spiritual significance. Galle Face Green provided a relaxing end to our day, with its open spaces and ocean views. The Kelaniya Temple and Anjaneyar Hindu Temple were the final highlights, showcasing Colombo's diverse cultural tapestry.
Day 8: Back to Bangalore
Ramayana Places in Srilanka :
After his victorious battle, Lord Rama left for Ayodhya, in one of King Ravana's vimana (carriages).He felt he was being followed by bramhaasthi dosham as he had killed King Ravana who was a Brahmin. Legend has it that when he came to this place he felt bramhaasthi dosham was not following him and he stopped the vimana and asked God Shiva for remedy. Lord Shiva blessed Lord Rama and advised him to install four lingams there and pray to get rid of the dosham.
Manaweri Temple
Manavari is the first lingam installed and prayed to by Lord Rama and this lingam is also called Ramalinga Shivan.
Koneswaram temple of Trincomalee (also historically known as the Thirukonamamalai Konesar Kovil, the Temple of the Thousand Pillars and Thiru-Konamamalai Maccakeswaram Kovil) is an Hindu temple in Trincomalee, Eastern Province, Sri Lanka venerated by Saivites throughout the continent. It is built atop Swami Rock, a rocky promontory cape overlooking Trincomalee, a classical period harbour port town.
The famed SHANKARI Temple, in Sri Lanka, is one of the 18 Devi Temples (Ashta Dasha Shakti Peethas). Many have heard the Ashtadasha Shakti Peetha Shloka starting with LANKAAYAAM SHAANKARI DEVI composed by Sri Adi Shankara which means Shankari in Lanka.
On these hills of Ramboda where Hanuman was searching for Sitadevi, the Chinmaya mission of Sri Lanka built a temple with Hanuman as the presiding deity.
It is believed to be the place from where King Ravana”s son Meghanath propitiated Lord Shiva with penance and poojas and in turn was granted super natural powers by lord Shiva.
The prominent temple architecture will not fail to attract your attention. Ancient statues of Rama and Sita can be seen on one side of the temple. The temple today is a modern building with its paintings, statues and pillars decorated with sculptures; all depicting the tale of Rama and Sita.
This is the exotic garden where King Ravana kept the depressed Sita, insisting that she marries him.
This is the place where Seetha Devi underwent "Agni Pariksha" (test). It is a popular place of worship among locals in this area. Divurumpola means place of oath in Sinhala.
Ravana Waterfall
It is said that Ravana had kidnapped princess Sita, and had hidden her in the caves behind this waterfall, now simply known as the Ravana Ella Cave. At the time, the cave was surrounded with thick forests in the midst of wilderness.
Anjaneyar Temple
This is the first Anjaneyar Temple in Sri Lanka and also the only Panchamuga (five faced) Anjaneyar Temple in Sri Lanka. Its the only temple in the world to have a chariot for Ajanyear.
Kelaniya Temple
After King Ravana’s death, Vibeeshana was coroneted as King of Lanka by Lakshmana at Kelaniya. There are murals enshrined outside the Buddhist temple depicting the crowning of Vibeeshana. The Kelani River is mentioned in the Valmiki Ramayana and Vibeeshana palace was said to be on the banks of this river.
Some Photos below,
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